Greetings Northwest Region:
Learn and network with some of the most influential regional and national leaders in the telehealth industry who are shaping telehealth's best practices. Attend the 11th Annual NRTRC Telehealth Conference held in person in Salt Lake City, or join virtually, September 26-28. Registration gets you:

  • Innovative sessions by telehealth leaders and subject-matter experts in the industry. View the full list of plenary and concurrent sessions.

  • Telehealth Technology Showcase by TTAC, the National Telehealth Technology Assessment Center highlighting the latest telehealth technologies.

  • A virtual platform that allows attendance to all plenary, keynote, panel and concurrent sessions.


  • The NRTRC is offering scholarships for the 2022 Annual Conference. Scholarship applicants must be employed by Indian Health Services (HIS), a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Rural Health Clinic (RHC), or Critical Access Hospital (CAH). Apply by August 15th.

*Early Bird Registration Ends August 1*
News You Can Use


  • The Whitehouse Office of National Drug Control Policy released a report on improving telehealth services for Substance Use Disorder (SUD). The report, by the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association, found that telehealth services can provide increased access to vulnerable people with SUD, decrease costs, and reduce spread of communicable diseases. It recommended expanding and making consistent current state and federal telehealth policies.

  • Library-Based Telehealth, a community-based approach to address health care inequity, offers telehealth access to those who may not have a device with camera and microphone, reliable connectivity, digital proficiency, or a private quiet space to for a telehealth. There is a growing movement to address such inequities by using the existing infrastructure and trust in community libraries. To learn more, check these resources:



King County Library System, Seattle, Washington.

The NRTRC will deliver a webinar on library-based telehealth in the coming months.
Contact us about library-based telehealth or any telehealth-related topic.


Biden-Harris Administration Takes Action to Expand Access to Emergency Care Services in Rural Communities

CMS proposes new rule that creates a pathway for rural hospitals and critical access hospitals to increase access to emergency and outpatient care

As part of the Biden-Harris administration’s ongoing effort to strengthen rural health, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is releasing a new proposed rule protecting access to emergency care and additional outpatient services for people in rural communities. CMS is establishing the Conditions of Participation for Rural Emergency Hospitals.

The proposed rule will allow small rural hospitals to seek this new health care provider designation and provide continued access to emergency services, observation care, and additional medical and outpatient services. The rule will take effect Jan. 1, 2023. Rural communities represent a fifth of the U.S. population.

  • For more information on the Rural Emergency Hospital and Critical Access Hospital Conditions of Participation.

  • To read the Fact Sheet on the Rural Emergency Hospital and Critical Access Hospital Conditions of Participation.

  • To read the Fact Sheet on HHS actions to strengthen rural health.
Do you provide health care or services via telehealth?  

Upcoming Events & Webinars

HRSA Healthy Grants Workshops: The Office of Federal Assistance Management produced a series of workshops to help you manage your grant. The first five workshops are available by recording. Upcoming workshops include:

  • Session 6: A Healthy Single Audit and What to Expect During HRSA’s Audit Resolution Process, July 13, 11 a.m. Mountain time.

  • Session 7: Grant Fraud and the Grantee. July 27. 11 a.m. Mountain time.

  • Session 8: Promoting Effective Communication in Healthcare, Aug.10, 11 a.m. Mountain time.

Utah Osteopathic Medical Association's Annual CME Conference 2022: This conference will offer 18 workshop topics covering osteopathic manipulation techniques, professional development, and medical updates. Also, student research poster presentations will be on display Saturday of the event. Aug 11-13, at Thanksgiving Point, in Lehi, Utah.
Telehealth Resources



  • The Telehealth Resource Centers have gathered resources specific to Federally Qualified Health Centers. Examples include a Critical Access Hospital Telehealth Guide and a webinar on Telehealth Essentials for FQHCs.

  • Emergency Declarations: Utah and Washington are the only states in the Northwest Region still under emergency declarations because of the COVID pandemic.


  • Research: current research opportunities, research articles and survey results.
Grant Funding Opportunities

  • Refer to the funding page on the NRTRC website for updated grant opportunities.

"Please accept our thanks and gratitude at Gonzaga University for your (NRTRC) excellent Telehealth presentation to our nurse practitioner students at Gonzaga University.

Your (NRTRC) attention to so many key points related to clinical practice, your obvious expertise, and your ability to make the information meaningful in addressing the "need to know pearls," all contributed to the student and faculty reactions of "Awesome" and "So Helpful" when they evaluated your presentation.

You (NRTRC) clearly covered the quadruple aims of telehealth in cost reduction, quality improvement, enhancing the patient experience, and access for patients and providers of health care. Because of your clinical expertise you painted the whole picture as to patient concerns when telehealth shines as an exemplar connection and when it may not.

Thank you for teaching the students about current best practices.

You (NRTRC) always encourage questions and answer them in a way that promotes deeper thought and more questions! The information that you so knowledgeably teach has become a very important part of our student's practice."

With Gratitude, 
Nurse Practitioner Students, Faculty
Deborah W. Smith DNP, ARNP, FNP-BC, Senior Lecturer Gonzaga University

We want to hear from you... Share your success stories? Contact us
Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center
“This publication was made possible by grant number UiUTH42531-01 from the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth, Health Resources and Services Administration, DHHS”